Don't Swallow the Cap
by a little hurricano
Summary: The road to revenge is paved with witches wrapped in darkness and rippers off the animal diet. AU mid season 4.


**Disclaimer:** I don't own The Vampire Diaries or any of the characters associated it. That goes to LJ Smith, Julie Plec & co. Story title comes from The National's song of the same name.

_i took a knife and cut out her eye__  
__i took it home and watched it wither and die__  
__well, she's lucky that i didn't slip her a smile__  
__that's why she sleeps with one eye open__  
__that's the price she'll pay_

-_florence and the machine, __**girl with one eye**_

"For a vampire, you could really stand to work on your stealthiness. It leaves much to be desired."

Bonnie didn't look up as he stepped out from the shadows. She didn't need to. She knew he'd look the exact same. The same as the first time she saw him and the same as the last. Vampires were reliable that way. It was her who had changed.

Her eyes were focused on the task at hand. Quicker and quicker still her wrist flicked in a steady motion, crushing the herbs into a smooth poultice, a mossy paste staining the sides of the clay bowl. This was her element, sitting cross legged in the thick of nature. To this day, the thrum of power she drew from the Mother was still the most calming thing she had ever experienced. It was the one thing that could not be taken from her, although there were many who wished it could. The people she had left behind and the ghostly ancestors who had left her. Distantly she heard birds chirping, as if to remind her that she was not alone.

"You're harder to track down than I thought you'd be." She could hear him sitting on the wooden bench that she'd bought for the garden. It had made sense at the time. The garden was the selling point for her when she first saw the house. She had the strongest desire to make it as homey as possible, for it to be her one piece of normalcy. People bought homes and they took pride in them and they sat down on an oak bench after a long day, sipping wine as the sun set. He was making himself comfortable, fitting himself in the picturesque setting that she created and that just would not do.

"That was by design," she said with a bored sigh as she rose, finally turning to face him.

The only thing more annoying than Stefan having found her, more annoying than him slotting himself into her sanctuary, was the fact that he had trampled all over her hydrangeas to do it. They were just starting to bloom.

"That's not very nice, Bon Bon, I thought we were friends," his voice took a mocking tone as he stood as well. Leather jacket, white t-shirt, dark denim jeans: the Stefan special. His eyes were dark as he assessed her in turn.

Bonnie's hair was as long as it had ever been, almost down to her breasts, wild curls that she barely made an effort to tame. Her face was bare of any makeup, save for a touch of lip gloss. Her rings clanged against each other softly, creating a ringing sound. She wore her favourite black maxi dress and it fluttered in the wind.

They _were_ friends once, she thought idly. They had sat at the same lunch table and shared laughs and trusted each other almost implicitly. Saturday nights at the Grille, shooting pool. Study sessions in the library. The whole high school experience.

But they weren't in high school anymore.

"Instead of playing the game where I point out all the reasons why that isn't true, could you possibly get to the chase sometime today? Some of us don't have the luxury of waiting for centuries for a point to be made, Stefan."

"Oooh, you cut me deep, Bennett." He clutched his unbeating heart in jest as he stood. Side by side, she came up to his shoulder. She was always barefoot in her backyard but she wished that she had worn her spiked heels today, consequences to her lawn be damned. They were her killers, and she felt it would have been appropriate. Poetic.

She started walking towards the house trusting that he'd follow. He did.

"Please do come in, my _dearest friend, _Stefan, my favourite of the brothers Salvatore. Let's catch up and talk about why you're here after four years of silence. I'll even do you a courtesy and make you some tea before I shoot you down." Here she turned around with an acerbic grin as she held the door open for him like the gentleman she always aimed to be.

His smirk matched hers as he walked up the stairs and paused, looking down on her. She could feel his warmth.

"I'm no expert, but it doesn't seem smart to say no to the vampire you just invited into your home," Stefan's voice was low.

Her grin turned into a thousand watt smile as he took his first step inside. She wished she could bask in his agonizing screams but unfortunately her neighbours were prone to noise complaints. Despite their bravado, vampires usually succumbed embarrassingly easy to the pain, seeking solace in unconsciousness.

Stefan, of course, was no different, but that's what she had been counting on.

She stepped over his prone body, the delightful skip of joy that children achieve with ease.

Kneeling, she placed her fingers on his face. "You never really were an expert on intelligence, Stef, "she stroked his sharp jawline almost reverently. "The only scarier than a vampire with an open invitation is the witch who extends it."

With a wave her arm, she let the door slam shut.

**Author's Note: **I literally have not written anything in years and all of a sudden I'm starting my second story within a week! It's Stefonnie week on tumblr and this was for the Day 2 prompt. I've always wanted to write a dark!Bonnie story and throwing ripper!Stefan in the mix kind of just sweetened the pot? Like my other Bonnie fic, this is heavily influenced by the music of Florence + the Machine because I have a deep spiritual connection with their music, so you should definitely listen to the chapter song if you haven't already. The next chapter will be longer and will get the ball rolling and let their darkness really come out to play. I'm actually really excited about this and would love to hear your thoughts and feedback and constructive criticism, so please R&R! xoxo until next time!


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